Reagan laid to rest

The United States, along with past and present world leaders, has bid farewell to former president Ronald Reagan.

12 Jun 2004 06:06 GMT

Nancy Reagan, with her children, at the burial ceremony

After the state funeral at Washington's National Cathedral on Friday, Reagan's body was flown to California and laid to rest in a sunset ceremony. It ended a week of national mourning for the 40th US president.

At the burial ceremony at the Reagan Presidential library in Simi Valley, an honor guard presented widow Nancy Reagan with the flag that had been draping his coffin for the last journey home.

Reagan's burial was attended by some 700 close friends, many of them people the late president had known since his days as a Hollywood actor.

The ceremony capped six days of mourning and nostalgic remembrance for Reagan who died last Saturday at age 93 after a long struggle with Alzheimer's disease.

Thousands of Americans turnedout to pay their last respects

Government departments, the New York Stock Exchange and many businesses closed as Americans paused to pay tribute.

Celebrated by supporters as a champion of freedom and free enterprise, Reagan also provoked furious opposition during his 1981-1989 presidency. Critics accused him of building up massive budget deficits, cutting programmes for the poor and supporting right-wing hard-liners in Central America.

Reagan was, however, also blamed for lax control over his administration that led to the Iran-Contra arms-for-hostages scandal.